A 21-year-old driver led law enforcement on a high-speed pursuit spanning approximately 60 miles across three counties in Texas before colliding with a school bus carrying 23 high school students in Bexar County.
The incident concluded dramatically at the intersection of Loop 410 and Rigsby Avenue in east central San Antonio, where a Ford Explorer slammed into an East Central ISD school bus. The collision left the bus with a dented bumper and the SUV heavily damaged, but authorities reported that no one sustained serious injuries.
According to DPS officials, the chase originated in Gonzales County. Upon impact, the 21-year-old sole occupant of the SUV fled the scene on foot toward a nearby Walmart, where troopers successfully apprehended him. He is being booked into Bexar County Jail.
DPS spokespersons stated that the driver, identified as Brandon Xavier Cortina, will face aggravated assault charges for every person on board the bus, in addition to other offenses related to evading law enforcement.
“Evading is always a bad idea—it causes a huge danger to the public, as we see,” one DPS spokesperson said. “We had a school bus struck with multiple students on it. That’s a huge hazard right there. Thankfully, the innocent children weren’t hurt.”
Officials noted that four or five students complained of soreness and minor bumps and bruises following the crash. They were examined by school nurses and were able to continue with their day. The students had been en route to a one-act play competition at the time of the incident.
The spokesperson emphasized the risks involved in such pursuits: “Thankfully, they say the innocent children weren’t hurt. There were 4 or 5 that complained of some soreness and things like that after the fact. They were checked out by school nurses and went on with their day.”
As of the latest update, further details regarding the full list of charges and bond amount for Cortina were still pending. The students, despite the ordeal, remained excited about their competition and were permitted to proceed.
